Senators for President Failing Their Duties

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: It is an interesting but also a disturbing situation that Senate Democrats have offered four of their current members as presidential candidates while at the same time risking National Security and crippling the economy.Two have withdrawn as a candidate. If one of these candidates were to become president, they would need the security tool of FISA to aid in fighting international terrorism and we hope they would want a strong economy. We noted that one withdrawn candidate, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) has gone to compare telecommunication employees to Nazi War Criminal. Thank goodness, Democrats dumped this candidate!

But a more critical question is where have Sen. Barak Obama (D-IL) and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) been in leading to protect us with FISA and in assisting us by passing a critically needed economic stimulus package? They are absentee Democrat Senators who are on the campaign trail "verbally fighting it out" rather than doing their duties as Senators for which they were elected and paid very well by the public to perform. And yes, I agree, we cannot leave off this list of absentee Senators, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) who is running against former (not incumbent) governors and a mayor.

Being concerned for his constituents, former Sen. Bob Dole set an example by resigning as a Senator to run for President. You cannot serve as a U.S. Senator effectively representing the people who elected you or the county by skipping your work as a U.S. Senator and chasing the presidential nomination. Obviously, a senator is elected to represent their constituents and not to run as a presidential candidate. In prior years, with shorter campaign periods, maybe it was possible for presidential candidates to keep up with their Senate duties. However with the current protracted campaign periods created by both parties and the movement of primary dates by the states, candidates evidence that they are severely hampered in performing their Senatorial duties properly by being absent from their appointed post.

With 27 years in the Senate, maybe Sen. McCain still has some influence especially with his Democrat "friends." But Sen. Obama with 2 years and Sen. Clinton with 7 years (and 8 years giving White House parties) have yet to evidence that they have the "real individual" influence with their fellow senators. Since these three senators claim that they will be best person to lead our country as president and the person who can best work with the U.S. Congress, let them prove it now while they are Senators. Let them evidence their "alleged" influence to get their fellow Senators to immediately pass FISA and and an economic stimulus package.

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Tags: Bill Smith, editorial, Barack Obama, economic stimulus, Election 2008, FISA, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, presidential candidates, US Senate To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!